★★★☆☆
Maisie Peters is at her best when she allows her honest and poetic lyricism to shine. In The Good Witch Deluxe, her lyrics don’t always hit that mark.
Peters introduced six new tracks to her sophomore album, The Good Witch, on Oct. 27. The new songs convey a message about the nonlinear nature of moving on.
Peters fully embraces a new sound—marked by synth-pop production—on the majority of the deluxe tracks. The loud and exciting tones are seen most on tracks where Peters expresses her self-confidence and reclaims her identity in the wake of her break up. The sounds match her vocal volume to help announce that she is healed.
Peters’s new style doesn’t always work in her favor, though. The heavy focus on production and one-off lines often takes away from the lyricism that drew many to Peters in the first place. This created the feeling that Peters was looking more to create the next viral Tiktok sound than a cohesive song.
The new additions kick off with “Holy Revival,” where Peters is clear that she is ushering in a healing phase of her life through tongue-and-cheek lyrics. “Guy on a Horse” expands on this idea, with Peters criticizing her ex’s tendency to look down on her from a high horse. Comparing herself to Joan of Arc, Peters uses religious imagery in both songs to show that she is becoming an elevated version of herself.
But Peters gives returning fans something to look forward to with “Yoko” and “Truth Is.”
“I meant, ‘Don’t go’ / It came out as, ‘Goodbye’ / You said, ‘Fine,’ when you should’ve said, ‘Or we could try?’ / So, now we’re seeing other people,” Peters sings in “Yoko.”
Peters draws a comparison between herself and Yoko Ono in “Yoko.” Ono is often credited with breaking up the Beatles, but the topic is debated. The comparison mirrors the complicated end of her relationship with the misunderstanding that commonly surrounds Ono and the Beatles.
In “Truth Is,” the struggle of moving forward is explored in a more transparent and open way than in the previously discussed tracks. Without the use of metaphors, the listener can see how Peters really feels about her emotions.
“But it doesn’t stop the lump in my throat / Time will heal / But I’ll always be a little bit broke,” Peters sings.
“Truth is” dials back on production as Peters opens up about how it seems that she was the only one to walk away from the relationship in any pain.
“Still you believe there’s no wound and no grudge / Who took all of my trust then abused it / Truth is, you did,” Peters sings in “Truth Is.”
“The Last One” ends the album on a high note, introducing both a sonic and thematic shift. With honest lyrics against the backdrop of guitar and drums, Peters gives the listener the best she has to offer.
“With your wax wings in a back room / Got my arms out, tryna catch you / As you’re fallin’ through the ceiling,” Peters sings.
Peters draws a comparison between someone in her life and Icarus. She explains that despite the person’s self-destructive tendencies, she will be there for them when they fail. The beautiful song emphasizes the importance of understanding and empathy in a friendship.
Despite weak production in some tracks, Peters’ additions to The Good Witch do elevate the album. Listeners, both old and new, have a reason to return to the album and to continue exploring Peters’ discography in its entirety.
